No10 has ‘gambled with the UK’s future’ by choosing to relax Covid-19 restrictions over Christmas

The Government has ‘gambled with the UK’s future’ by choosing to relax Covid-19 restrictions for five days over Christmas, a cross-party group of MPs will warn.

The review into the Government’s handling of the pandemic, set to be published today, accuses ministers of making ‘false choices’ between saving lives or saving jobs and the economy. 

They say this has led to the UK ‘mourning among the highest number of lives lost to the pandemic, while at the same time bracing for one of the deepest recessions in its aftermath’.

Official figures reveal almost 60,000 people have died from the virus since the pandemic began, one of the highest tolls in Europe and across the world.

Boris Johnson panicked and imposed a second lockdown in November, despite mounting evidence that the tiered system was driving down infections.

Regions under the old Tier Three – where Britons were allowed to visit restaurants and bars providing they had a ‘substantial meal’ – including Liverpool and Lancashire were both showing drops in case numbers before the nationwide shutdown.

A second Tiered system has now come into force across the UK, with 99 per cent of the population under either Tier Two or Tier Three restrictions.

But the Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that the dawn after the pandemic is now ‘in sight’ after the MHRA approved Pfizer’s vaccine for use.

It is thought to be arriving in the UK today, with care home residents, the elderly and NHS workers first in line for the jab.

One expert has insisted a third lockdown may be needed in January or February, despite the news that medics would start dishing out the vaccine this month. 

Up to three households will be able to mix with each other over the Christmas period – between December 23 to 27